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On the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and Iceland laying down the rules for participation of Iceland in the GOVSATCOM component of the Union Space Programme and in the Union Secure Connectivity Programme, and for access to GOVSATCOM services and to the governmental services of the Union Secure Connectivity Programme

Full title

On the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and Iceland laying down the rules for participation of Iceland in the GOVSATCOM component of the Union Space Programme and in the Union Secure Connectivity Programme, and for access to GOVSATCOM services and to the governmental services of the Union Secure Connectivity Programme

Report A-10-2026-0207 · 05271/2026 – C100099/2026 – 2025/0351(NLE)

Kind
Plenary report A-10-2026-0207
Date
16 July 2026
Committee
Committee on Industry, Research and Energy
Rapporteur
Paolo Borchia
Dossier
2025/0351(NLE)
More facts (4)
Voted
  • 16 Sept 2026 Consent given 631 for, 7 against, 15 abstained
Formats
Official page PDF Word
Subject matter
TELE, EXT
Reference
05271/2026 – C100099/2026 – 2025/0351(NLE)
More
Cite this page Official page (opens the official site)
Link to this page

In short

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Parliament gives its consent to the conclusion of the agreement between the European Union and Iceland on Iceland's participation in the GOVSATCOM component of the Union Space Programme and in the Union Secure Connectivity Programme. The agreement covers Iceland's access to GOVSATCOM services and to the governmental services of the Union Secure Connectivity Programme. The rapporteur recommends a favourable opinion, citing the extension of secure communications to reliable partners in the European Economic Area and the benefits for governments, security services and commercial broadband connectivity. The rapporteur stresses that the agreements keep exclusive EU ownership of infrastructure assets, give partner countries no decision-making authority or veto rights, and require compliance with EU security standards. The rapporteur notes the agreements entail no expenditure for the Union budget and generate assigned revenue, with Iceland and Norway financing participation through GDP-based contributions, including retroactive contributions.

Position. The Committee on Industry, Research and Energy recommends a favourable opinion on the conclusion of the agreements, and Parliament gives its consent to the conclusion of the agreement with Iceland.

Key points

  1. Parliament gives its consent to the conclusion of the agreement with Iceland on participation in GOVSATCOM and the Union Secure Connectivity Programme.
  2. The agreement lays down the rules for Iceland's participation in the GOVSATCOM component of the Union Space Programme and in the Union Secure Connectivity Programme, and for access to GOVSATCOM services and to the governmental services of the Union Secure Connectivity Programme.
  3. GOVSATCOM provides secure, resilient and protected satellite communications for authorised governmental users and critical infrastructures.
  4. IRIS² sets out targets for a European satellite constellation providing ultra-fast, secure and low-latency communication and internet services by 2027.
  5. The agreements with Norway and Iceland are of significant interest to the Union, as both countries are close and trusted partners in the space sector.
  6. Iceland and Norway's involvement as users and through satellite capacities, ground segment facilities and technical infrastructure extends secure communications beyond the Union's borders.
  7. The legal framework provides that the European Union retains exclusive ownership of all tangible and intangible assets associated with the infrastructures developed.
  8. Partner countries acquire neither decision-making authority nor veto rights over the management and future development of the programmes.
  9. Access to the services is subject to compliance with the EU's strict security standards and to supervision by specifically designated competent national authorities.
  10. The agreements do not entail any expenditure for the Union budget; instead, they generate assigned revenue.
  11. Iceland and Norway will finance their participation through financial contributions calculated on the basis of their respective GDP, including a retroactive contribution covering costs incurred by the Union since 2021 under the Space Programme and since 2023 for secure connectivity.
  12. The rapporteur emphasises the importance of compliance with Article 218(10) TFEU, which guarantees that Parliament is fully and promptly informed at every stage of the procedure.

Who is affected

  • Iceland: participates in GOVSATCOM and the Union Secure Connectivity Programme, with access to services and no decision-making authority or veto rights.
  • Norway: participates in GOVSATCOM and IRIS², with access to services and no decision-making authority or veto rights.
  • European Union: retains exclusive ownership of infrastructure assets and receives assigned revenue from the agreements.
  • Authorised governmental users and critical infrastructures: benefit from secure, resilient and protected satellite communications.
  • Key economic sectors such as telecommunications and transport: secure connectivity is particularly important due to Iceland and Norway's strategic location close to the Arctic region.

Figures and deadlines

  • 2027: target year for IRIS² to provide ultra-fast, secure and low-latency access to communication and internet services.
  • 2021: start year for costs effectively incurred by the Union under the Space Programme, covered by retroactive contributions.
  • 2023: start year for costs effectively incurred by the Union for secure connectivity, covered by retroactive contributions.

Legal basis. Article 186 and Article 218(6), second subparagraph, point (a)(v), of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

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Draft european parliament legislative resolution

(05271/2026 – C100099/2026 – 2025/0351(NLE))

(Consent)

The European Parliament,

–having regard to the draft Council decision (05271/2026),

–having regard to the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and Iceland laying down the rules for participation of Iceland in the GOVSATCOM component of the Union Space Programme and in the Union Secure Connectivity Programme, and for access to GOVSATCOM services and to the governmental services of the Union Secure Connectivity Programme (05275/2026),

–having regard to the request for consent submitted by the Council in accordance with Article 186 and Article 218(6), second subparagraph, point (a)(v), of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (C100099/2026),

–having regard to Rule 107(1) and (4), and Rule 117(7) of its Rules of Procedure,

–having regard to the recommendation of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (A10-0207/2026),

1.Gives its consent to the conclusion of the agreement.

2.Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States and of Iceland.

Back matter, 2

Parts that accompany the text rather than belong to it: explanatory statement, annexes, opinions appended by other committees. Collapsed.

Explanatory statement 9 blocks

GOVSATCOM and IRIS² represent the European Union’s response to the growing need to ensure reliable communications in a context marked by persistent connectivity gaps and an increasing number of cyber threats.

While GOVSATCOM provides secure, resilient and protected satellite communications for authorised governmental users and critical infrastructures, IRIS² sets out the targets for the development of a European satellite constellation designed to provide ultra-fast, secure and low-latency access to communication and internet services by 2027.

Withing this framework, the international agreements concerning the participation of Norway (2025/0352(NLE)) and Iceland (2025/0351(NLE)) in GOVSATCOM and IRIS² are of significant interest to the European Union.

As a matter of fact, Iceland and Norway have long been close and trusted partners of the Union in the space sector. Consequently, their formal involvement - both as users and through the provision of satellite capacities, ground segment facilities and technical infrastructure - extends the use of secure communications beyond the Union’s borders, thereby strengthening its global role and fostering international cooperation.

Moreover, their strategic geographical location close to the Arctic region gives secure connectivity particular importance for key economic sectors such as telecommunications and transport.

At the same time, the legal framework governing these agreements safeguards the Union’s interests by explicitly providing that the European Union retains exclusive ownership of all tangible and intangible assets associated with the infrastructures developed, while the partner countries acquire neither decision-making authority nor veto rights over the management and future development of the programmes. Furthermore, access to the services is subject to compliance with the EU’s strict security standards and to supervision by specifically designated competent national authorities.

From a financial perspective, the agreements do not entail any expenditure for the Union budget; instead, they generate assigned revenue. Iceland and Norway will finance their participation through financial contributions calculated on the basis of their respective GDP, including a retroactive contribution covering the costs effectively incurred by the Union since 2021 under the Space Programme and since 2023 for secure connectivity.

Despite the predominantly technical nature of these dossiers, the rapporteur emphasises the importance of compliance with Article 218(10) TFEU, which guarantees that Parliament is fully and promptly informed at every stage of the procedure. This principle is considered an essential condition for assessing the impact of strategic partnerships on the European industrial base and on the effective use of public resources in terms of innovation and competitiveness.

Without prejudice to the necessary institutional considerations, and in view of the technical, geopolitical and economic benefits arising from the extension of these programmes to two reliable partners within the European Economic Area, the rapporteur recommends a favourable opinion on the conclusion of the agreements. Such a measure will strengthen the capacity to provide secure communications for governments and security services while also fostering the development of commercial broadband connectivity, thereby contributing to bridging the digital divide and ensuring improved coverage in remote and strategically significant areas.

Annex: declaration of input 1 block

The rapporteur declares under his exclusive responsibility that he did not include in his report input from interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register[1], or from representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies, to be listed in this Annex pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure.

Procedure pages and committee votes

How the committees handled the text and how their members voted on it. Collapsed.

Procedure – committee responsible 1 block
Table from the text: Title
TitleLaying down the rules for participation of Iceland in the GOVSATCOM component of the Union Space Programme and in the Union Secure Connectivity Programme
References05271/2026 – C10-0099/2026 – 2025/0351(NLE)
Date of consultation or request for consent17.4.2026
Committee(s) responsible Date announced in plenaryITRE 18.5.2026
Committees asked for opinions Date announced in plenaryBUDG 18.5.2026
Not delivering opinions Date of decisionBUDG 11.12.2025
Rapporteurs Date appointedPaolo Borchia 20.5.2026
Discussed in committee3.6.2026
Date adopted14.7.2026
Result of final vote+: –: 0:79 0 3
Date tabled16.7.2026
Final vote by roll call by the committee responsible 3 blocks

79 · For

ECR
Alessandro Ciriani, Ondřej Krutílek, Daniel Obajtek, Diego Solier, Şerban Dimitrie Sturdza, Beata Szydło, Francesco Torselli, Kris Van Dijck, Mariateresa Vivaldini, Anna Zalewska
ESN
Markus Buchheit, Siegbert Frank Droese, Marcin Sypniewski
EPP
Wouter Beke, Hildegard Bentele, Alexander Bernhuber, Borys Budka, Raúl de la Hoz Quintano, Christian Ehler, Jan Farský, Niels Flemming Hansen, Krzysztof Hetman, Seán Kelly, Willemien Koning, Fernando Navarrete Rojas, Angelika Niebler, Andrey Novakov, Mirosława Nykiel, Virgil-Daniel Popescu, Jüri Ratas, Aura Salla, Paulius Saudargas, Matej Tonin, Dimitris Tsiodras, Marion Walsmann, Andrea Wechsler, Angelika Winzig
Patriots
Majbritt Birkholm, Barbara Bonte, Paolo Borchia, Jaroslav Bžoch, András Gyürk, Ondřej Knotek, Sebastian Kruis, Jana Nagyová, Aleksandar Nikolic, Julie Rechagneux, Auke Zijlstra
Renew
Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy, Christophe Grudler, Martin Hojsík, Morten Løkkegaard, Ana Vasconcelos, Yvan Verougstraete, Emma Wiesner, Michal Wiezik
S&D
Annalisa Corrado, Sofie Eriksson, Niels Fuglsang, Lina Gálvez, Bruno Gonçalves, Nicolás González Casares, Giorgio Gori, Eero Heinäluoma, Dan Nica, Tsvetelina Penkova, Elena Sancho Murillo, Bruno Tobback, Nicola Zingaretti
The Left
Per Clausen, Jussi Saramo, Dario Tamburrano
Greens
Michael Bloss, Alexandra Geese, Isabella Lövin, Sara Matthieu, Ville Niinistö, Jutta Paulus, Villy Søvndal

0 · Against

3 · Abstained

No group
Diana Iovanovici Şoşoacă
The Left
Marc Botenga, Rudi Kennes

Connections

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Its dossier

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Sources & citation

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Permalink
https://news.eu-parl.st-solutions.dev/texts/A-10-2026-0207
Official source
Data source
Licensed CC BY 4.0.
Retrieved
25 September 2026

Cite as

European Parliament (2026). “RECOMMENDATION on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and Iceland laying down the rules for participation of Iceland in the GOVSATCOM component of the Union Space Programme and in the Union Secure Connectivity Programme, and for access to GOVSATCOM services and to the governmental services of the Union Secure Connectivity Programme”. Text, 16 September 2026. docId A-10-2026-0207, reference A10-0207/2026, procId 2025-0351. EU Parl Watch Research. https://news.eu-parl.st-solutions.dev/texts/A-10-2026-0207 (retrieved 25 September 2026). Official source: The text on the European Parliament’s website, https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-10-2026-0207_EN.html. Data: EP Open Data API: document record, https://data.europarl.europa.eu/api/v2/documents/A-10-2026-0207 (CC BY 4.0).
BibTeX 
@misc{epw-text-a-10-2026-0207,
  author = {{European Parliament}},
  title = {{RECOMMENDATION on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and Iceland laying down the rules for participation of Iceland in the GOVSATCOM component of the Union Space Programme and in the Union Secure Connectivity Programme, and for access to GOVSATCOM services and to the governmental services of the Union Secure Connectivity Programme}},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-09-16},
  howpublished = {\url{https://news.eu-parl.st-solutions.dev/texts/A-10-2026-0207}},
  url = {https://news.eu-parl.st-solutions.dev/texts/A-10-2026-0207},
  urldate = {2026-09-25},
  publisher = {EU Parl Watch Research},
  note = {Text. docId A-10-2026-0207, reference A10-0207/2026, procId 2025-0351. Official source: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-10-2026-0207\_EN.html. Data: EP Open Data API: document record (CC BY 4.0)}
}